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Virtual festing: Here are 5 must-stream titles from the Outfest Fusion film festival

Image Credit: Outfest Fusion Film Festival

The temperatures are gradually climbing, the flowers are blooming, and we even set our clocks forward an hour. But how do we know it’s officially springtime? Because the Outfest Fusion Film Festival is back!

Now in its 20th year, Outfest Fusion is Los Angeles’ premiere film fest dedicated to QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and People of Color) artists and filmmakers, and this year it’s bigger than ever.

For this special anniversary celebration, the fest will honor The Inspection writer-director Elegance Bratton with its Fusion Achievement Award, in addition to activist and filmmaker Bird Runningwater with the Fusion Impact Award.

It will also be home to 23 world premieres, and play host to other highly anticipated screenings, like documentaries The Stroll and Little Richard: I Am Everything, both of which were met with positive buzz out of Sundance.

Beginning Friday, March 24, Fusion offers an incredible lineup of events, workshops, and film screenings—a number of which will be available to stream virtually from home.

With that in mind, below you can find our guide to five streaming titles from Outfest Fusion ’23 that you won’t want to miss.

And, for a glimpse of the full festival schedule—featuring a special QTBIPOC Town Hall, a party with Mykki Blanco, and a first-ever Family Day—head here.

Follow The Protocol (Seguindo Todos os Protocolos)

“After 10 months of a self-imposed lockdown, Francisco wants to have sex. In this sweet, raw, and honest dramedy, filmmaker Fábio Leal explores what it means to be sexually-liberated and queer during an apocalyptic event, which should hit close to home as our collective trauma from COVID-19 still ripples through society.”

For in-person and virtual screening tickets, head here.

Fusion Opening Night Gala Shorts Collection

“For its opening night, Outfest Fusion has assembled a selection of shorts that showcases the scope and depth of its program’s talent. From a teen comedy about queer witches hexing their bullies, to an evocative drama about a former astronaut struggling to imagine motherhood after the loss of her partner, to an experimental and whimsical exploration of memory and identity—this program of stellar films is sure to provoke, touch, amuse, and inspire.”

For in-person and virtual screening tickets, head here.

Hello Goodbye: Shorts Collection

“All things in life feel fleeting or obsolete, and the pursuit of personal freedom may just require bidding farewell. This illuminating collection of queer shorts will take you on a trip to the past and to the future, providing a space for revisiting heartache before finally severing ties for good. From fraught family relationships to toxic sweethearts and lovers that could have been, these queer experiences embrace it all.”

For in-person and virtual screening tickets, head here.

Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn

“Malcolm Kenyatta, the self-described ‘poor, Black, and gay kid from North Philly’ is running for the United States Senate. But this race is about more than taking on Malcolm’s political competition. It’s about taking on an entire system.unprecedented state bid.”

For in-person and virtual screening tickets, head here.

Summer with Hope

“In Iran, a competitive swimmer named Omid has a whole lot more on his mind than the next tournament. But as he begins open-water training with another young man, their tight-knit bond garners attention and accusations with major ripple effects on their families and the community.”

For in-person and virtual screening tickets, head here.

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